Subterfuge
by Joy Nelson
Summary: Todd returns to Llanview sans Téa, determined to reclaim his newspaper and his daughter. Meanwhile, Blair is equally determined to punish Max for his infidelity and forge a new life for herself and Starr.
1. Chapter 1

An AU tale set after Todd returns to Llanview and runs off with Téa. Characters are borrowed from Prospect Park and OLTL. All OC characters are mine.

* * *

 **Chapter One**

As Max's hand slid up her thigh, his lips pressing soft kisses against her neck, Blair tried hard to tamp down the sudden feeling of loathing that welled within her. She discreetly exhaled in an effort to relax as her husband pressed her into the satin-covered mattress. She rubbed her nude body seductively against his, a grimace contorting her beautiful features. Thank God she was an excellent actress.

When Max had begged her for reconciliation, Blair had agreed, thrilled at the prospect of being back in the Buchanan mansion where she could easily access Max's files to further her revenge against him. It had seemed like an easy ruse at first, but now she wasn't so sure. Convincing Max that she was madly in love with him was becoming increasingly difficult.

The longer Blair was in his presence, the more she began to despise him. Every time she looked at Max, images of he and Skye making love would enter her mind. Every time he touched her, Blair would think of all the times he had defended Skye to her. It took considerable effort on her part to lovingly respond to his touches and caresses.

 _Oh God, let it be over,_ Blair thought as Max lowered his mouth to hers. She kissed him back with as much enthusiasm as possible, but inwardly she cringed. She hated his hands on her, hated the fact that she would have to continue sleeping with him for an indefinite period of time. But then she suddenly remembered her encounter with Todd in Cincinnati. If he and Téa returned to Llanview to steal Starr away from her again, Blair had to be ready. And that meant making sure that when she did divorce Max, she was a very wealthy woman. She would take them both to hell before she ever let Téa Delgado near her daughter again.

That in mind, Blair prepared to give the performance of her life as she wrapped her legs around her husband's waist and welcomed him with her body.

* * *

Todd glanced over at Viki as he guided the limousine back towards Llanview. She didn't seem as annoyed with him as before after her surprise visit with Jessica and for that he was grateful. The last thing he wanted to deal with was his sister's prissy ideals. He had enough on his mind already. Getting back his life in Llanview was one of them. Paying back his enemies was another.

Still, he was worried about Viki's condition, and if he was honest with himself, a bit frightened. He would never let her know how unnerved he really was about the unseen cancer inside of her. Showing weakness was not an option. Peter Manning had drilled that into him, but Todd had mistakenly forgotten that lesson over the past couple of years. As usual, his adoptive father had been right. Had he not let Sam, Viki, and Téa see several of his weaknesses, Todd wouldn't be at this miserable point in his life now.

"I'm glad you brought me to see Jessica, although you went about it in an unnecessary, unorthodox way." Viki's refined voice intruded on his thoughts. "Why didn't you go with them?"

Todd tried to conjure up the sarcastic, playful personality that he had worn like a protective shield for the last few weeks, but he was too weary to continue the pretense at the moment. "Because Sam told me to stay away from them."

"That didn't stop you before."

"Jessica promised to call me as soon as they settled down and Cristian and Will didn't want me along anyway." Todd rubbed his eyes and tried to concentrate on the road. "Besides, I got tired of watching them fight over her. It was like being trapped in a really bad episode of Dawson's Creek."

Viki sighed. "Both of them love Jessica very much. Neither would dream of doing anything to hurt her."

Todd grunted with annoyance. "Whatever."

They were silent for a moment, the only sounds the steady hum of the limo's engine and the air whipping around the car as it sped down the highway. Todd could feel Viki studying him and he steeled himself in preparation for whatever remark would fly out of her smart mouth. She was always trying to psychoanalyze him and it got on his nerves. The best way to handle her self-righteous mumbling was to issue a terse, spiteful reply.

"So what's the plan now, Todd?" Viki broke the thick silence.

 _Here it comes_. "What plan?"

"Are you going to stay in Llanview or will you try to find Téa?"

"Why should I try to find Téa?"

"Because you love her."

Todd opened his mouth to deny her statement, but he quickly clamped it shut and remained quiet. Letting Viki and Sam think he was in love with Téa served two purposes. It would keep their hopes for his redemption alive and it would keep them in his corner. They thought the sun rose and set around Téa Delgado.

Truth be told, Todd wasn't sure if what he felt for Téa could be called love. Obsession maybe, but not love. Their relationship had almost been as sick as the one he had shared with Marty Saybrooke. It seemed as if tormenting each other had been the highlight of his and Téa's whatever-it-was. Each of them had gotten a strange rush from it, although she would never admit it.

A man usually loved a woman for a lot of little reasons. The way she wore her hair, the way she danced, the way she shaved her legs. Todd tried hard to think of a characteristic of Téa's that he found loveable and was surprised to find that he could think of none. Well, he liked that she was so easy to torture. Was he weird or simply unable to feel? He'd only had two other relationships to compare with his last one, both a lot more normal than the one he'd had with Téa.

"Todd?"

Startled, Todd glared at his sister, not liking the look of censure in her eyes.

"If you sincerely want a chance with Téa, you're going to have to want to change and really do it this time." Viki counseled. "If not, you might as well go back to where you came from. Sam and I have grown rather sick of saving you from yourself."

Todd bit back a sarcastic retort. More tough love. Everyone was always demanding him to change for them, but they'd never bothered to ask him what _he_ wanted. He was hurt over Téa leaving him and by her not being able to accept him as he was. He didn't like feeling vulnerable to others. It made him weak and sniveling. Peter Manning had hated weak, sniveling men and so did Todd. And right now, he hated himself.

He was tired of talking about Téa and damn tired of everyone asking him about her. Todd had already chalked up their doomed relationship as another painful lesson learned and relegated it to the back of his mind. The only female he was interested in now was a beautiful six-year old that loved him unconditionally. In his twisted need for a woman who hadn't really loved him at all, Todd had thrown away the one good thing he'd done in his life. And he was desperate to get back to her.

"Do me a favor, Viki." Todd requested with conviction as he glanced at his sister. "Don't ask me about Téa again. That part of my life is over."

Viki stared at him briefly as she tried to read him again. "You sound serious about that."

"I am." Todd turned his attention back to the road. "Téa moved on and so have I."

* * *

Kyle Wharton wasn't your typical computer hacker. No grunge rock exterior and devil-may-care attitude. No shy, stuttering nerd with Coke bottle glasses and bad hair. He had just introduced himself to her minutes before, and Blair had already formed a not too flattering opinion of him.

Looking to be in his late thirties, Wharton was dressed impeccably in Armani, a rather loud Rolex encircling his wrist. His sandy blonde hair was neatly trimmed and fashionably coifed and his features were haughty and aquiline. There had to be a stick at least a mile long buried deeply in his snobbish ass, but Blair overlooked that for now. What she needed was an expert hacker and underground rumor had it that Wharton was the best.

"So, Mrs. Buchanan. Just what is it that you're looking for?" Wharton sipped his cappuccino, pinky finger properly extended. They were in a fancy restaurant on the outskirts of Llanview, a spot Blair had picked because no one she knew ever frequented it.

Blair leaned forward and cautiously lowered her voice. "I need you to hack into the computer system of a large corporation. I was thinking of a virus - "

"Say no more." Wharton interrupted, raising his hand. "I'm sure it's doable. Are you prepared to meet my price?"

Mentally calculating B&B's checking account balance, adding the fat wad of cash Viki had given her the day before, Blair nodded. "Whatever it is, I'm sure I can cover it. But you don't get a cent until I get what I need."

"Of course." Wharton replaced his coffee cup and propped his elbows on the table, lacing his fingers together. "It'll cost you ten."

Blair tried to maintain her cool expression, but she couldn't as she nearly choked on her on coffee. Her mouth fell open and her eyes grew as wide as the saucer she was gripping. "As in thousand?"

"My price is fair given the risks I'm taking."

There goes the royalty check she'd just received. The figure was going to put a big dent in B&B's coffers, but Blair wasn't deterred. Her revenge and Asa's money were too important. "So when can you start?"

"I have a couple of jobs to finish up, but I think I can start Thursday."

That was two days from now. The thought of sleeping with Max another day made Blair ill. But it would be worth it in the end, when she was rich enough to buy that armed fortress for herself and Starr. "Thursday it is."

Blair extended her hand and Wharton gripped it firmly, running his thumb slowly over her knuckles. His pale blue gaze latched onto her breasts before returning to her face and giving her a seductive smile. Blair returned it with a brilliant smile of her own, recognizing that gleam in his eyes all too well. If she played her ample cards right, she just might get a little discount from Kyle Wharton.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Todd sat in a rental car in the employee parking lot of The Banner. He wasn't sure what hours Blair worked, but his experience in the newspaper business told him she should be there pretty early. He wanted to talk to her about Starr and although he had badly wanted to go to the Buchanan mansion, he had wisely chosen instead to approach his ex-wife at work. Max and Asa would go ballistic if he showed up on their doorstep, and given the trouble Todd was in, would probably run and tattle to Bo.

He had parked as far back as possible and was slumped low behind the steering wheel. A copy of The Sun lay in the seat next to him. Todd had wanted to check on the paper he had once lived for and he was pissed to find that Kelly had totally ruined it. Insipid, feel good stories and news nobody cared about. Besides the logo, The Sun had changed considerably from the hard-hitting, no-holds-barred publication it had been when Todd had run it. It was now a perfect companion paper to The Banner.

Todd stroked the bold red logo as he watched for Blair. If all went as planned, The Sun would soon be returned to its former glory, with him at the helm again.

A silver Porsche careened around the corner and glided perfectly into an empty parking space. Todd recognized the expensive present he'd given Blair when they had first gotten married. He was surprised she still had it, but she had really loved that car. And she had always looked great getting out of it, as she did now. One long leg followed by another. Blair was dressed in slim beige capris and a white blouse. He'd never seen her looking bad, except the night they had lost their first baby, and after the accident that had killed Brendan. He didn't like the chin length hair, but his opinion didn't matter because she wasn't his anymore. It didn't seem all that long ago when he had been crazy in love with her.

Pushing aside his musings, Todd emerged from his car and quickly skulked his way towards Blair as she was pulling a small cardboard box from the car. She turned when she heard his footsteps and her green eyes widened in alarm and surprise. Todd inwardly grimaced at her expression. He hated that he had that effect on her. There was a time when she had looked at him with so much love and devotion. But he had screwed that up royally and after all the terrible things he had done to her, he didn't blame her for feeling suspicious towards him.

"What are you doing here?" Blair hissed as she looked around, protectively holding the box in front of her.

Todd stopped in front of her and shoved his hands in his pants pockets. "Now what kind of greeting is that for the father of your child?"

Blair's green eyes were arctic cold as she gave him a scathing look. "Father? You've been nothing more than her sperm donor for the last couple of years."

The dig was painful, but Todd checked his anger and his pride. When it came to Starr, he had to be straight with her mother. "I haven't been there for her like I should. I want to make it up to her."

Blair's eyes narrowed as she looked him up and down, biting her bottom lip in concentration as she silently weighed her options. "Where's Téa?"

Todd balled his fists at the monotonous question. "That didn't work out."

"The bitch dumped you."

"It wasn't like that."

"Of course it was." Blair slammed the car door and hefted the box under one arm. "It's too damn late for you to start showing concern for your daughter. You should have been putting her needs before that slut who took you away from her."

" _Blair_." Todd growled, grabbing her arm to keep her from leaving. He glanced around at the few people arriving at The Banner, making sure no one was watching them. "I don't want to fight with you. I just wanna to see my kid."

She remained silent as she pointedly glanced down at his detaining hand on her upper arm. Todd released her and struggled to remain calm. He didn't like appearing weak before her, but Blair had him by the balls and she knew it. "You have every reason in the world to hate me, but I _need_ to see my daughter. You want me to beg?"

Blair rolled her eyes. "I am _not_ Téa. She's neutered you pretty good already so I won't add to the torture. But I'm not buying the sincere act. How do I know that bitch isn't hiding out somewhere, waiting for you to come back to her with Starr so the three of you can leave the country together?"

"There _is_ no Téa." Todd stated forcefully, his voice low and trembling with rising anger. "I'm telling you for the last time, she and I are over. Don't ever mention her to me again." He took a deep, calming breath as he realized with chagrin that he would have to be totally honest with her now. "I want to come home, Blair. I hate Llanview. It's slow, it's full of sanctimonious pricks, it doesn't even have a decent strip club, but its home. Starr is here. Can you just look past you and me for a moment and concentrate on her?"

Blair's doubtful gaze locked with Todd's for a moment while she processed his words. Finally, she threw up a hand in defeat, looked skyward, and mumbled a few incoherent words. Then she glanced back at Todd, exasperation in her expression. "Alright… _shit_. You can see Starr."

As relief washed over him, Todd suppressed the urge to fall at her feet and kiss Blair's pink-tipped toes. "Today?"

"Fine. I won't be doing much work anyway." Blair mumbled. "But I don't want anyone to see us together, so you meet us at Dorian's at noon."

Todd simply nodded as he noticed for the first time how tired his former wife looked. There were dark circles under her puffy eyes and tiny frown lines marred her smooth skin. As she stood there jiggling her leg with impatience and irritation, Todd guessed that something was bothering her, and it wasn't totally geared towards his presence. He started to ask her what it was, but thought better of it. He had already pushed his luck by asking for a visit with Starr.

Blair noticed Todd's examination of her and she immediately stopped fidgeting. She raised her chin defiantly and her expression went blank and cold again. "I've got things to do." She didn't even bother with a goodbye as she turned and walked away.

He stood there for a moment and watched her retreat, her shapely bottom swaying seductively in those snug-fitting pants. It was a shame he was done with women or he might be tempted to seduce his ex-wife away from her current husband. A second later, Todd berated himself for even thinking along those lines. Irritated that he'd momentarily lost focus, he turned and made his way back to his car, remembering that he had someone else to see.

* * *

Blair returned the greetings of the numerous employees of The Banner as she entered the lobby of the building, took the elevator, and walked down the narrow hallway towards her desk. She propped the box onto the marred wood surface and gratefully collapsed into her chair, expelling the breath she'd been holding since she'd left her ex-husband in the parking lot.

Seeing Todd for the second time in as many weeks had knocked the wind out of her, though she had put on a grand performance to conceal it from him. She hated to admit it, but her encounters with him, however fleeting they were, made her feel as if she had been on a wild roller coaster ride. She'd been both apprehensive and exhilarated by his appearance. It frustrated her that Todd could still elicit such feelings from her even after all the rotten things he'd done to her. She would much rather be numb to his presence than feel anything, even loathing. Maybe her problems with Max had something to do with that. Or maybe it was something else.

What irked her even more was the rush of elation she'd felt when Todd had told her that he and Téa had broken up. Blair was happy that the whining little shrew would not be a part of Starr's life, but she was angry that Todd's newly single status mattered to her. She hated giving in on allowing him to visit Starr as well, but it was hard to refuse Todd where their daughter was concerned. He was an asshole, but there was no doubt in her mind that he loved Starr as much as she did.

Disgusted that she had allowed herself to dwell on thoughts of Todd Manning, Blair jerked open a drawer and began pulling out her personal belongings. Last night she had come to the conclusion that she no longer wanted to work at The Banner. The paper was owned and run by Buchanans and she wanted to rid herself of any traces of that family in her and Starr's lives.

She wouldn't be fully rid of them until she divorced Max however. He wasn't really a Buchanan, but he wanted to be and that was enough to condemn him to her. The sooner she got rid of him, the better. His presence in her life was having an adverse reaction on her mental and physical health. She felt incredibly fatigued and irritable from a lack of sleep because she'd lain awake half the night, recoiling from Max every time he shifted in his sleep and inadvertently touched her.

Blair tossed a tube of lipstick, a hairbrush, and a hair clip into the box, ignoring the curious looks of her soon-to-be former co-workers. She picked up three framed pictures - a baby photo of Starr, a recent one of herself and Starr, and one of herself, her mother, Dorian, Cassie, and Kelly at her second wedding to Todd - and placed them carefully in the box. The last picture was one of Max. She stared at it bitterly for a moment before dumping it in the trashcan beneath her desk.

"Blair?"

She swiveled in her chair and stared up at Kevin. With a slight frown, he glanced at the box on the desk and then back at her. "What's going on?"

Maybe she should have given Kevin her resignation before she had started cleaning out her desk, but Todd's appearance had flustered her so, Blair hadn't been thinking clearly. "I'm sorry, I meant to give you my resignation in private."

"You're quitting?"

Blair tossed a half-eaten candy bar in the trash. "That's what 'resignation' means."

"What's the problem, if you don't mind my asking?" Kevin folded his arms across his chest and struck his best intimidating pose.

She had always tried to be civil to him, but Blair could barely stand Kevin. She didn't give a damn that Kelly was now in love with him or that he was Starr's cousin. He had turned Cassie into a basket case and Blair would never forget that. She missed her beloved cousin deeply, especially now that her life was in such turmoil. Thanks to Kevin's tainted brand of love, Cassie would probably never be the same. As soon as she got rid of Max and got herself and Starr settled, Blair would began her special plan of revenge against Kevin Buchanan. She only hoped that Kelly wouldn't get caught in the crossfire.

"There's no problem." Blair continued her task. "I just don't want to work here anymore."

"You going back to The Sun?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but no." Blair closed the box and rose from the desk as she gave it a final look. "All my current work is on the computer's hard drive. My password is Key West, all caps, no space."

"You're leaving us in a lurch here, Blair."

Blair shrugged as she slung her purse over her shoulder. "Can't be helped."

"Does this have anything to do with Asa and Max?" Kevin prodded further, his eyes fixed on the trashcan.

Blair shook her head and let loose a small, scornful laugh. "You're _such_ a Buchanan. Always thinking the world revolves around you and your kind."

Kevin bent over and reached into the trashcan, pulling out the discarded picture of Max. He eyed Blair curiously, one brow arched in a mocking question as he held the picture out to her. "Isn't Key West where you and Todd first got married?"

Blair glared at Kevin as she picked up her box, ignoring the picture he held as she moved around him. "Don't you have a wife to go steal or something?" With a toss of her head, she left The Banner offices for the last time.

* * *

Todd listened half-heartedly as Sam spewed his usual diatribe about responsibility, trustworthiness and love. His former mentor had lit into him as soon as Todd had arrived at his office and being that he needed Sam on his side, Todd could do nothing but pretend to be contrite and listen. There were a shitload of other lawyers he could hire who would be more than happy to defend a man with a bank account as fat as Todd's. But he wanted someone who at least cared about him and would put his all into Todd's case rather than someone who would just go through the motions to snag an enormous fee.

"Didn't I ask you to stay away from my son?" Sam sputtered, eyes popping, face reddening, and neck veins bulging.

Todd nodded and remained silent as Sam continued to rant. His fingers itched to close around the older man's throat and end his incessant prattling. Todd had heard it all before and he didn't need a refresher course in Morality 101. Who was Sam to speak on morals anyway? There was a lot Sam had to answer for. Fucking Blair to get over Nora. Knocking up Nora and ending her marriage to Bo. If he didn't need Sam so badly, Todd would end his pompous tirade with a well-aimed bullet to the…

"Are you listening to me?" Sam yelled, eyes blazing down at Todd, who was slouched comfortably in a seat across from Sam's desk.

"Yeah, I hear you." Todd straightened and tried to appear properly repentant. "How many times do I have to say I'm sorry? I know I made mistakes and I came back here to make up for them."

"You came back here because Téa left you and as usual you want me and Viki to pick up the pieces!"

"This has nothing to do with Téa and stop mentioning her name. That's over." Todd felt like punching a wall, but he forced himself to keep up his meek facade. Boomer Todd was the only Todd Sam really knew how to deal with. "I'll admit that Téa leaving made me realize that I've spent too much time pursuing a doomed relationship and not enough time being a father to my daughter, but that's a good thing, right? I came back here to set things straight so that I can be with _Starr_. Now if you don't want to help me, I completely understand. But stop lecturing me about things that I can't change and give me a straight up yes or no."

Sam shook his head and walked up to Todd so that he was inches from the younger man's face. He always used the move to try to intimidate him and Todd always let Sam think that it did. "Man, you gotta stop this. You're not a kid anymore, Boomer, you're a grown man with responsibilities."

"Yes or no, Sam?"

With a groan, Sam tunneled both hands through his white hair. "Alright, Todd. I'll defend you, but there are conditions that come with my help."

"Aren't there always?" Todd smirked. Sam was such a chump.

"One, you stay away from my kid." Sam jabbed a finger into Todd's chest. "And two, you get some counseling. You need to resolve some of these issues that make you so screwed up inside."

 _Fuck counseling,_ Todd thought while smiling and nodding at his former coach. He would agree to appease Sam, but Todd knew he didn't need a damn shrink telling him what he already knew - that he was certifiable. Sometimes. "Cool, Sam. Actually, I _was_ thinking of seeing someone. I want to be the best father I can be for Starr."

Sam seemed to relax at Todd's words. "Well at least that's a start. I have to do a little research first, check into the charges that have been filed against you, see how your former record will play out in court. In the meantime, you lay low."

"That's what I do best." Todd held out his hand and Sam clasped it warily. "Thanks, Sam. This means a lot to me. _You_ mean a lot to me." Todd tried not to choke on the words.

"Yeah, yeah." Sam waved him off and walked around his desk to take a seat. "Now about that counseling…"

A light knock saved Todd from more lecturing. Both men turned towards the door just as it was cracked a few inches and Roseanne Delgado's head poked through the opening.

"Excuse me, Sam, but your secretary's not at her desk -" Roseanne's eyes fell on Todd and they widened in surprise. She stepped through the doorway and walked slowly towards him. "Todd. What are you doing here?"

Todd shrugged. "Just hanging."

"Is Téa here too?"

Rolling his eyes, Todd walked past her towards the door. "If I had a nickel…Sam, I'll talk to you later."

He heard Sam sputtering in protest but Todd slammed the door firmly behind him and escaped into a waiting elevator.


	3. Chapter 3

Blair dumped a small amount of sesame chicken onto a plate and placed it on the wrought iron table in front of Starr. The little girl promptly scooped some between her tiny fingers and shoved it into her mouth. Shaking her head, an amused smile on her face, Blair concluded that her daughter had picked up her atrocious table manners from her father.

"Use a fork, Starr." Blair gently reminded.

"I wanna eggroll." Starr demanded as she palmed the fork.

"May I _please_ have an eggroll." Blair corrected.

Starr mumbled the words back and Blair rewarded her by placing the requested eggroll on her plate. "Good girl."

They were on the patio at the Cramer mansion, Blair having stopped for takeout on the way there. Starr had insisted that they eat outside and Blair had thought it would be a good idea while they waited for Todd. Starr had lit up when her mother had told her they were going to see Daddy and she'd been worrying Blair with questions about him ever since. At least the food was a momentary distraction.

Blair was only able to take one bite of her lunch when she heard the muted sound of the doorbell from inside the house. She glanced at Starr, whose jaws were full to bursting as she chewed voraciously. Blair caught her hand as Starr attempted to shovel in more food. "Swallow, Starr. I think your daddy is here."

A big grin split Starr's face and her hazel eyes widened with excitement. She didn't have time to chew and swallow, not with her daddy at the door, so she spit the food into a napkin, tossed it onto her plate, and jumped down from the table. Blair groaned in exasperation as she gathered the slimy wad and disposed of it. Vowing to work harder on her daughter's table etiquette, she hurried to catch up to Starr as she raced to the foyer.

Starr slid to a halt at the front door and flung it open before Blair could stop her. The little girl let out an excited squeal upon seeing her daddy standing on the doorstep. Todd returned the greeting with a teasing, mimicking squeal of his own as he swept his daughter up into his arms and gave her a bear hug.

Blair couldn't help the smile that curved her lips as Todd and Starr tried to out-smack each other with mushy kisses between rapid snatches of conversation. She couldn't stand Todd most of the time, but she loved seeing her daughter happy and Todd was a master at doing that.

Todd finally spared Blair a glance as he kicked the front door shut and lowered Starr to her feet. "Hey."

"Hey." Blair replied coolly as she rubbed a hand over her rapidly beating heart. "We were having lunch on the patio."

"We got your favorite Chinese food, Daddy." Starr announced as she grabbed Todd's hand and began tugging him towards the living room.

"Really." Todd smirked as he gave Blair a knowing look. "Was that Mommy's idea?"

"It was mine."

"Oh." Todd had the grace to look sheepish and it was Blair's turn to smirk. "Lead on, Shorty."

For the next half-hour, father and daughter voraciously scarfed down lunch while Blair played with hers and looked on. Todd and Starr talked with gleeful animation about camp, Freddie the Frog, and all the places Todd had been since he'd been gone. A potentially awkward moment arose when Starr asked about Tea, but Todd handled it smoothly by explaining that he and Tea were no longer friends and that they were both still very happy. Starr seemed to accept this without question as she went on to tell her father about a recent birthday party she'd attended.

While Todd and Starr were playing outside, Blair cleaned up the mess they'd left behind and went into the house to fix a drink. Though Dorian no longer lived here, Blair made sure that a maid came by once a week to clean the mansion thoroughly and keep the kitchen stocked. She and Kelly both used the place on occasion, Blair to get away from the Buchanans, and Kelly, Blair assumed, to get away from the lie she was living with Joey.

She was turning up a screwdriver when Todd came in with Starr riding on his shoulders. His eyebrow shot upward in question as he eyed the drink in Blair's hand. He made a big show of propelling a happily shrieking Starr into the air and then tumbling her onto the sofa.

"Mommy!" Starr scrambled to her feet and ran over to Blair, grabbing her around her waist and craning her neck to look up at her. "I asked Daddy if we could have a sleepover and he said yes."

Blair's head shot up. "What?"

"She said she wanted to stay with me and I thought it was a good idea." Todd shrugged. "Come on, Blair, I haven't seen her in months."

Blair pasted on a smile for Starr's benefit and replied in a singsong voice. "You know I can't leave you alone with her."

Todd seemed irritated at her obvious mistrust of him. "You're invited too."

"Yay!" Starr let go of Blair and clapped her hands together as she bounced up and down.

"Starr honey." Blair's eyes stared daggers at Todd as she set down her drink and pulled Starr to her. "I don't think that's a good idea. Uncle Max will be lonely."

Todd grunted at that remark. "It's just one night."

"And what am I supposed to tell him?"

"I don't know, you're good at…you know…you'll think of something."

Blair looked down at Starr's hopeful face. She would like nothing better than to avoid sleeping with Max tonight, even if it meant having to be around Todd. But if Max ever discovered who she and Starr were spending time with, it would set him off, to the detriment of her plan. No, there was too much at stake. She would just have to suffer.

"I don't think so, Todd." Blair told him firmly. "Maybe another time."

"How about this weekend? We could hang out at Viki's cabin."

"Please, Mommy?" Starr begged as she wrapped her little legs around Blair's long ones.

"I'll think about it." Blair conceded, annoyed at being pressured. It was just like Todd to put her on the spot and make her look like the bad guy to their daughter.

"That's the best we're gonna get for now, Shorty." Todd told her, hand palming the top of Starr's head as he guided her towards the kitchen. "Let's go get something to drink."

Starr happily skipped ahead of him and Todd lingered, aiming an accusing look at Blair. "You don't trust me with her."

"You're damn right I don't."

"I wouldn't take her away from her mother."

"You did before."

Todd scowled at her a moment before turning to go to the kitchen. "You and I need to have a conversation."

"Whatever, Todd." Blair picked up the phone as she glared after him.

Damn stupid man. There was nothing Todd could say to her that would make her trust him where Starr was concerned. She should have never agreed to meet him here. He hadn't even been back a day and he was already screwing up her life. Forcing herself to forget about Todd for now, Blair decided to concentrate on more pressing business as she dialed Ben's number.

* * *

Much later, Blair watched as Todd gently lay Starr down on the narrow daybed. The little girl had worn herself out after she and her father had played and talked together for nearly two hours. Blair had been relieved, sure that Todd would leave once Starr was asleep, but he'd surprised her by insisting that they needed to talk. Not really in the mood to spar with him, but curious as to what it was he wanted to say, she had agreed.

Todd folded a corner of the comforter over Starr's small body and softly ran a hand over the top of her head. "She's gotten bigger since I saw her last."

"Did you think she'd stop growing because you decided to walk out of her life?" Blair asked bitterly, careful to keep her voice low.

Turning, Todd gave her a blank look, his voice low as well. "Let's not do this here."

Crossing her arms over her breasts, Blair left the room without another word and went back downstairs. She went into the living room and sank down among the plush sofa cushions, watching warily as Todd slowly entered the room behind her and sat down on the sofa across from her.

For a moment, they just stared at each other, Blair's expression irritable, Todd's revealing no emotion at all. He looked good, she grudgingly admitted to herself, even though she hated his new shorter haircut and his nearly hairless face. He looked much more handsome with long hair and a goatee. His black suit was casual and complimented his slim form and he wore a collarless blue shirt that set off his skin's light tan. This Todd looked calm and assured, a far cry from the wreck he'd been when he'd hightailed it out of Llanview nearly two years ago.

"So what's up?" Blair prompted, pissed that she'd been admiring him and anxious to get rid of him.

Todd tilted his head to one side as he looked at her. "You hate me, don't you?"

One of Blair's dark eyebrows rose sardonically. "What _ever_ gave you that idea?"

Todd averted his gaze and his features scrunched up into a frown. Blair could see his tongue running along the inside of his bottom lip. Whatever he was about to say would be hard for him and quite possibly the truth. He could never look her straight in the eye when it came to the dreaded 'talking about things' stuff.

"Spit it out, Todd." Blair prodded him again. "I've got things to do."

He kept his gaze averted, but he spoke this time. "I…wanted to say that I'm sorry…for everything I've put you through...you know…"

He was sorry? He'd waited nearly six years to apologize to her and that was the best he could do? Despite her growing anger, Blair's voice remained cool. "That's all I get? A pitiful 'I'm sorry'?"

Todd looked at her then, his expression wary now. "It's all I have to offer. What else do you want me to say?"

"You say 'I'm sorry' when you bump into someone or when you're late for an appointment." Blair remained reclining on the sofa, her voice dripping with venom and her green eyes flashing with suppressed fury. "Not after you go out of your way to make their life a living hell."

"Blair -"

"You don't say 'I'm sorry' when you leave the mother of your child alone to raise you daughter while you go chasing after a bitch that tried to send both of you to prison!"

"What do you want me to say?" Todd growled back, her anger fueling his as his face contorted with a scowl.

"I don't want you to say a damn thing, Todd. I want you to grovel at my feet and kiss my ass."

"I'm not kissing another woman's ass as long as I live!" Todd jumped up. "I'm trying to be straight with you, make things right, and you chew me out!"

"What do you expect?" Blair stood up, her body trembling with rage and her fists clinched at her sides. "I told you I am _not_ Tea! You can't come here with a lame apology after everything you did to me and expect me to forgive you! I _hate_ you, Todd! I can't stand to look at you! The only reason I'm tolerating your sorry ass is because of Starr!"

"Extend that tolerance a little longer." Todd pointed a finger at her as he stepped around the coffee table. "I'm here to stay."

"Fuck you!" Blair hissed. "And get out! You make me sick!"

"I'm not finished!" Todd took a step towards her.

"Oh yes you are!" Blair looked for something to defend herself with as she scooted towards the end table. She picked up a small vase and held it up defensively. "You're nothing like the man you were when I was married to you! Tea's turned you into weak, sniveling piece of shit!"

Todd visibly flinched at that remark. He stood perfectly still as he stared back at her, his expression wounded and full of pain. Well, Blair didn't care about his feelings. She was never going to allow him to hurt her again, physically or emotionally. And she refused to apologize for her harsh words.

Seconds ticked by following the heated exchange. Todd remained quiet, his face once again devoid of any emotion. The only thing betraying his inner turmoil was the slight tick of the tiny muscle in his jaw. He opened his mouth to say something and closed it again. Then he turned on his heel and left, walking out of the front door and slamming it forcefully behind him.

Blair collapsed on the sofa then, the tears she'd been holding in finally spilling forth. She lowered her head onto her knees and took in large gulps of air as she wept, her body shuddering violently as the buildup of anger slowly dissipated. She felt slightly dizzy, off kilter, and drained. Arguing with Todd always did that to her. Her blood pressure was probably through the roof.

She lay down on the sofa and between sobs she cursed Todd for his ability to provoke her. She wanted to believe that it had nothing to do with any lingering feelings for him, but she couldn't deny the truth. And that's why she had really become angry. Whether she loved or hated him, Blair was still irrevocably under Todd Manning's spell. But it would be a cold day in hell before she became his whipping post again.

Blair lay curled in a fetal position for another half-hour, weeping and cursing until she finally fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Todd deftly tossed an empty beer can back and forth between his hands, raised it, aimed, and sent it sailing into the wastebasket across the room. He shoved another potato chip into his mouth and munched on it as he listened to the music blasting from the radio perched on top of a counter. He was in the kitchen of the condo he had leased from an elderly retired couple, sprawled in a corner on the floor because he hadn't had a chance to purchase furniture yet.

It was nearly midnight and he was once again wrestling with insomnia. His mood changed from minute to minute, running the gamut from apathy to loneliness, from anger to sadness. Two days had passed since his blowup with Blair and he was too ashamed to call her and ask if he could see Starr again. His dismal attempt to apologize for his past mistreatment of her had blown up in his face. He really should have known better. Blair wasn't as forgiving as Téa. Todd should have expected her anger, but he had thought she had softened towards him after allowing him to see Starr.

Actually, Todd was wallowing in misery because her words had hurt him deeply and dredged up painful memories. Blair couldn't have known that Peter Manning's favorite adjectives for his adopted son had been weak and sniveling. Todd's mind had gone completely blank once she'd spat the words at him. While he'd stood there, flashbacks of his father's verbal abuse reverberating in his mind, Todd had felt that evil part of his nature emerging. He had been about to retaliate with equally harsh words and he had _so_ wanted to shake her senseless. Reminding him that Blair was the mother of his world had kept him from following through. Rather than stay there and be tempted by demons, Todd had chosen to leave before he did something he regretted.

It really shouldn't matter to him that Blair wouldn't forgive him, but it did. He had vowed after Téa that he wouldn't let another woman lay him low, but Blair was different. Not just because she was Starr's mother, but because she had been his first real friend, his first real lover, and she was so much like him it scared him. Besides that, he was tired of fighting with her. Their rift left him feeling as if he couldn't move on with his life, even when he'd thought Téa would be in it.

He should really be concentrating on his legal problems. Sam had left a message on his cell phone earlier that day, telling him that he still had more research to do on the charges against him and giving him the name of two highly recommended psychiatrists. Todd figured he wouldn't call him back unless it was absolutely necessary. He didn't want to hear Sam slurping about therapy anymore.

Right now, he wanted to escape the stark white kitchen. The walls seemed as if they were closing in on him and the more he sat there, the more bad memories intruded on his thoughts. Todd pulled himself off the floor and went upstairs to the bedroom to get dressed. He needed to get out of that large, quiet house before he went stir crazy.

* * *

Blair carefully eased Max's arm from around her waist and quietly slipped out of bed, shivering slightly as the cold air from the circulating central air touched her nude body. She pressed a hand to her roiling stomach as she looked back at her husband, making sure he was still asleep. Then she slipped into the bathroom, locking the door behind her, and rushed to the toilet. She'd barely dropped to her knees before she began to throw up, her hands clutching the seat tightly as her body convulsed. She prayed that Max wouldn't wake up, but damn if it wasn't hard to be quiet while gagging and vomiting.

A few minutes later, eyes wet and nose running, she slowly stood up, swaying slightly. She stumbled over to the sink to splash water on her face and rinse out her mouth. She wet a wash cloth and lathered it with her favorite perfumed soap, then began scrubbing at her skin, trying to erase the spots where Max had touched her. As she ran the cloth over her breasts, down her stomach, and between her legs, she had a fleeting thought that she was going crazy. She knew for certain that she couldn't continue this way much longer.

After tossing the towel into the hamper, she slipped on the bathrobe hanging on the back of the door and sat down on the edge of the large tub. The last thing she wanted to do was crawl back into bed with Max. It felt as if Skye were in the bed with them. Every time he made love to her, Blair wondered if he had murmured the same endearments to Skye. Did he compare Skye's body to hers? Did he think of Skye while he was using her body?

The thoughts were sick, but Blair couldn't help them. She also couldn't stand to be around her husband. Having sex with him tonight had been especially hard and he had even asked her if anything was bothering her during the act. Blair had feigned a headache, but that hadn't stopped the asshole from continuing. She wasn't sure if she could take it anymore. She wasn't sure if revenge was worth losing her sanity. Thank God Wharton had started the job today. Soon, she would be rid of Max for good.

Suddenly needing to get away, Blair returned to the bedroom, tiptoeing as she went. She went to her closet and closed the door, quickly selected an outfit and got dressed. She emerged a few minutes later and quietly left the room, then stopped by Starr's room to check on her. Then, clutching a pair of strappy sandals in her hand, Blair crept downstairs and slipped out a rear door of the mansion. She inhaled the fresh air, an immense feeling of freedom and relief washing over her as she got into her car and drove away.

* * *

Rodi's was loud, hot, and crowded tonight. Todd felt oddly comforted upon returning to his old stomping grounds. Whoever the new owner was, he'd done a bang up job of returning the bar to its former seedy dive glory. Maggie Carpenter and Max had nearly destroyed it during their tenure there.

Studying the patrons, making sure there was no one there he knew, Todd weaved his way through the crowd. He sauntered up to the bar at which he had spent countless moments - some alone, some with Blair - and took a seat. A bartender approached him immediately and Todd ordered beer. He grabbed a bowl of pretzels and began to munch on them as he turned and looked about with interest.

Turning up his beer as he scanned the crowd, Todd's dark mood began to lift as it fed off the energy of the old Led Zeppelin song playing loudly in the background and the people milling about. Through the maze of bodies, Todd caught a glimpse of long, smooth legs, one crossed over the other and swinging in time to the music. Curious, he strained to see the owner of the magnificent gams. Those legs seemed vaguely familiar to him.

A wide, spandex-covered rump wiggled in front of him and blocked Todd's view. He stood up and walked to the corner of the bar. Peering around a gyrating couple, he was surprised to see the owner of the beautiful legs was Blair. She was sitting alone at a small table in a corner, beer in hand, watching the crowd also, though the distant look in her eyes told him she was thinking hard about something else.

Todd wondered what she was doing at Rodi's this late with no Max in sight. He wanted to approach her, but the memory of their last meeting made him hesitate. Knowing Blair, she'd smash him over the head with her beer rather than endure his presence, but Todd still had unfinished business with her and he desperately wanted to get it over with.

Cautiously, he walked up to her and tried to appear as casual as possible. "Blair."

Her head swiveled towards him, but her expression remained aloof. Todd wasn't sure if she was angry at his appearance or if she just didn't care. He hoped she was angry. Some emotion was better than none.

"What are you doing here?" Blair's eyes narrowed.

Todd slid into the seat across from her. "You've been asking me that question a lot lately."

"What's the answer?"

"What are _you_ doing here? Is _he_ with you?" Todd grimaced as he spoke. He couldn't bring himself to refer to Max as Blair's husband and he hated that the dick was now his daughter's stepfather.

"Why I'm here is none of your business. And if by 'he' you mean Max then no, he's not here."

"Can't say I'm too thrilled that you left Shorty alone in that mausoleum."

"Her nanny has the room next to her, so she's in good hands." Blair sipped her beer and looked away.

They both remained quiet as the loud music pulsed around them, but to Todd, the silence between them was infinitely more deafening. Tension began to build within him. It always did when he was in Blair's presence. He never knew how she would react to him or vice versa, but usually their encounters ended badly and left him frustrated and angry. Damn women. Why'd they have to be so fucking complicated?

"Look, Blair." Todd began determinedly. "I'm tired of fighting with you. It makes my head hurt and you know as sick as I am, that ain't a good thing. Whadaya say we call a truce?"

"Why?"

"Aren't you tired of fighting?"

Blair didn't answer, just took another swig of her beer and coolly returned his gaze. Todd hated when she did that. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, which made it more difficult for him to decide how to proceed. Such a waste. Blair used to be so cool, but she'd been contaminated by Sam and Max. Still, he had resolved to end their bickering once and for all, even if it did mean kissing her ass. Not having to worry about Blair carving her initials in his back would leave his mind free to concentrate on other business.

"We both know how horrible we were to one another in the past and I'll take full responsibility for that. I made some really fucked up decisions when I came back from Ireland and that led us to where we are today." Todd admitted, inwardly amazed that owning up to his mistakes hadn't felt as hideous as he'd thought it would. "Rehashing all that crap only keeps us at odds longer and it doesn't do Starr any good. I'm ready to move on, Blair. That's why I tried to apologize to you. Can we leave the past in the past and start over?"

Her expression seemed to soften somewhat and Todd was hopeful. Mentioning Starr was a calculation he had thrown in out of desperation and he didn't feel the least bit guilty about playing that card, not if it ended their feud. Blair had a very vulnerable soft spot where their daughter was concerned, which in turn, he knew, left her vulnerable to him.

"Fine." Blair finally spoke. "I'm willing to forget the past and declare a truce - for Starr's sake."

He was surprised that she had given in so easily, but maybe she was as fed up with their fighting as he was. At least he didn't have to kiss her ass. Relieved, Todd leaned forward and extended his hand and Blair tentatively reached out and clasped it. As they slowly shook on their new deal, their eyes met and held and Todd found himself reluctantly being drawn into the Blair Cramer web again. Her hand was soft and warm in his, her green eyes looked especially sultry in the dim light, and the simple, sleeveless red dress she wore hugged her breasts to perfection. Damn if he wasn't experiencing a healthy bout of lust, something he hadn't felt in a long time. And damn if he didn't see reciprocal lust in Blair's gaze.

Blair snapped out of the spell faster than Todd did. She snatched her hand away and covered her unease by meticulously straightening the hem of her dress. Todd didn't even try to hide his lechery, which really surprised him. He blamed it on the alcohol as his eyes devoured her breasts a bit longer. Then he leaned back and took a sip of his beer. Unable to think of anything to say, he blurted out. "You wanna dance?"

She glared at him as if he'd asked for permission to shit in her hands. Todd grinned with amusement. "Forget I asked."

Blair rolled her eyes and looked away as she re-crossed her legs, the dress riding up to reveal way too much of her silky thighs.

"There's something I want to show you." Todd announced as he uncomfortably shifted his lower body to accommodate the swelling in his pants.

"I've already seen it." Blair replied tightly.

Todd laughed out loud. She had felt that little jolt of sexual electricity too and it had pissed her off. "Not that. But hey, anytime you wanna stroll down that particular area of memory lane..."

"Shut up." Blair retorted, more amused than angry. She forced away a small smile as she glanced back at him. "What is it you want to show me?"

"Not here." Todd said, suddenly serious. Well, if he was going to earn her trust again, it was imperative that he tell all. And he trusted Blair. He knew he could reveal his warped, personal stuff to her and not have to worry about her using it against him. After all, she had kept quiet about Guy Armitage.

"Stop playing games." Blair sighed. "I'm not in the mood."

"I'm not playing games. I need to show you something. It'll explain a lot of the crap I put you through back then - I think."

"I thought we weren't going to talk about the past anymore?"

"Just this once, alright? I need you to know this, but you can't tell anyone."

Blair stared at him as if he'd grown two heads, but she shrugged her shoulders a second later. "Whatever."

They quickly finished their beers and Todd tossed a tip down onto the table. He followed Blair through the crowd towards the exit, noticing that a few males turned to admire her while his own eyes were glued to her cute little bottom. He seemed to be obsessed with her ass lately. He wasn't sure if it was _her_ ass or just ass in general. But suddenly, his forced celibacy didn't seem as good an idea as it used to be. Hanging around Blair was wreaking havoc on his rapidly reemerging libido.

Blair yawned as she reclined against the living room wall of Todd's condo. The place was pitifully bare save for a stack of newspapers on the floor next to her and a cardboard box upon which a functional lamp was propped. That he had even bought this place spoke volumes about his intention to stay in Llanview and Blair wasn't sure how she felt about that. It would be nice for Starr to have her father around but Blair wasn't happy about the prospect of having to deal with Todd's high-maintenance ego.

She glanced at the slim gold watch on her wrist, a bit worried that it was after two in the morning, but not wanting to go home to Max just yet. Maybe she would sleep in Starr's room and tell Max the little girl had had a nightmare. That would at least guarantee her one night of peaceful rest. Blair pulled a rumpled stack of the last few issues of the Sun towards her and began to leaf through them. Todd was loyal to the end, even though he no longer owned the newspaper for which he had sacrificed food and sleep.

Todd came back into the living room with a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a couple of shot glasses balanced in the other. He filled one and handed it to Blair, then sat down beside her and poured a drink for himself. He had turned on the radio and music blasted loudly from the kitchen. Blair watched as Todd swallowed his shot in one swift gulp and then poured himself another. She simply nursed hers and waited patiently for him to tell her why he had brought her here.

"So how did Shorty do in school?" Todd asked as he crossed his ankles and leaned his head back against the wall.

Blair blinked at him in confusion, wondering what sort of game he was playing. "I thought you brought me here to show me something important?"

"Actually I brought you here because I wanted to talk to you someplace more private. I figured you wouldn't come if I just asked."

She let loose an expletive before bringing the glass to her lips and draining it. "If you went to all that trouble then you obviously want to talk to me about _something._ "

"No. Just Starr."

" _Todd_."

He downed his drink and then gave her a sideways glance. "Alright. Here it is." Todd took a deep breath and plunged ahead. "Remember a few years ago…when you told me I was losing it?"

Blair simply nodded.

"Well I was." Todd stared at her meaningfully. "Being that you know me so well, you were the only one who saw that."

Blair nodded again. "You've never been the same since you went to Ireland."

"You're right. I haven't been. But I'm not crazy, Blair."

She wasn't going to argue the point. Not because she believed him, but because she didn't want to make him mad. Everything that he'd done over the last few years had screamed crazy to her.

Todd averted his eyes and stared at the blank wall across the room. He seemed to be struggling for words and Blair waited patiently, realizing how difficult being honest with _anyone_ was for him. "I have a violent temper and I obsess over things that hurt me. I'm stubborn and I'm jealous. I'm angry, I'm bitter, and I don't forgive easily. And it's especially hard for me to trust. You add that all up and you have got one fucked up individual, Blair. That's me."

Blair patted his knee in an awkward effort to comfort him. She didn't know if she liked this Todd. Maybe way back when, but not now. She was clueless as to how to respond to him. She much preferred him moody and sarcastic. "We've all got bad traits, Todd."

"Yeah, but not all rolled into one. That's why I do the shit that I do, Blair, that's why I did so much damage to me, you, and Starr."

"I did my share of damage too."

"You were just paying me back for the shit I started."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because you're Starr's mother. Whether I like you or not, I have to get along with you for her sake."

"Asshole."

"And because I want you to know what makes me tick."

"I already know what makes you tick. I always have."

"You think I'm a monster."

"No, _you_ think you're a monster. _I_ think you're a prick."

"Bitch."

"Really, Todd. All those things - the anger, the bitterness, the violent temper - all that's a part of you. I learned how to deal with it a long time ago."

Todd poured more whiskey for them both. "I wanted you to understand why."

"I do understand." Blair assured him. She understood why he had done what he'd done. What she didn't understand was why he suddenly had the need to _make_ her understand. She didn't like discussing it either. If he kept on about it, all those painful memories would start swirling around in her head and piss her off all over again. In her semi-inebriated state, there was no telling what she would do then. "Let's drop this true confession shit. It's creeping me out."

Todd nodded, but he seemed to be in another world as he downed another shot.

Blair studied him with amusement. "All this honesty stuff makes you sick, doesn't it?"

"Positive emotions have a negative effect on me."

"Don't worry. I still hate you."

"You always did know how to make me feel better."

Blair finished her drink, set the empty glass on the plush carpet, and carefully stood up. If she stayed here any longer, she'd start to feel sorry for him. The worst thing that could happen was for her to become vulnerable to Todd Manning again. She arched her back as she stretched her arms above her shoulders and yawned loudly as she took a few steps towards the door. "I'd better go, Todd. Starr might wake up and wonder where I am."

"You bringing her to the cabin this weekend?"

"I said I'd think about it." Blair put him off and grabbed up her purse.

Todd got unsteadily to his feet and followed her. "Say, why were you out without Max anyway? You two having problems?"

"That's none of your business."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"More like hell." Blair blurted out before she could stop herself. Todd was staring at her more curiously now and she cursed herself for revealing something so personal to him of all people.

But Todd didn't say anything more about it as he walked her to her car. "That was kinda cool. Getting ripped with you. Reminded me of the old days."

"God, that was what, seven, eight years ago?" Blair unlocked her car and slid inside. "We must be pretty pathetic if we're still doing that."

"You okay to drive?" He leaned heavily against the door. "I can't feel my legs."

Blair laughed as she searched inside the glove compartment for a pen. "I always could out-drink you. I'm fine. Give me your cell phone number and I'll call you tomorrow."

Todd had to think before he was able to rattle off the numbers to her. After jotting them down, Blair started the car and glanced up at her ex-husband as he swayed towards the car door. "Todd, go inside before you pass out in the driveway."

"Still worried about me after all these years." Todd gave her a wry smile. "You were always my best friend, Blair."

Surprised by his words, but attributing it to the alcohol he'd inhaled, Blair revved the engine and pulled the car door shut. As she backed the car down the narrow driveway, he stood and watched her for a moment, then slowly wandered back inside the condo. And as Blair drove home, she wondered what the hell had gotten into Todd Manning.


	5. Chapter 5

_A sincere thank you for the reviews. I actually wrote this story around 1999-2000, but only posted it on an old T &B forum. Recently, a friend of mine finished a fic she started a few years ago, so I've been inspired to do the same. If you love T&B fan fiction, check out Dandesun's "A Sort of Homecoming", which covers Todd Manning's 2011 return._

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

Holding his pounding head, Todd walked with painstaking slowness through Llanfair in search of Viki. He had wanted to do nothing more than remain wrapped up in his pallet on his empty bedroom floor and nurse his hangover, but he had too much business to attend to. Besides worrying over his own legal troubles, he was concerned for the welfare of his niece. He hadn't heard a word from Jessica since he had left her alone with Cristian and Will and he was beginning to think it would have been better for him to stay with her. Todd doubted she would risk getting in contact with her mother, but he had to make sure.

The muted sounds of an intense conversation were coming from the main room and Todd switched directions. As he neared, he recognized Ben's sanctimonious voice and a second later, Blair's. What was she doing there? Stealthily, Todd pressed himself between the wall and the opened door and shamelessly eavesdropped.

"I don't have that kind of money, Blair. We're just going to have to let this one go."

"This job means a lot to Buchanan Enterprises. If we take it away from them, it'll screw them good."

"Where are we getting the money to bid? We're making money, but not enough to compete for anything that size."

"I don't want them to get this job."

"It can't be helped this time and honestly, I'm worried. You've gotten reckless lately and I can't protect you if you keep going down that road. Max and Asa are going to figure out that you're the other half of B&B."

"They won't find out and Max would never suspect. He thinks our reconciliation is for real, that I'm still madly in love with him. And Asa's got his hands full with Renee."

"Look, I'm sorry, but I don't have time for B&B right now. I'm more concerned about Viki's illness and getting Will home than anything else. Besides, Asa's going to find out eventually that Max is not the real Buchanan heir. Skye is not going to let him off easy for picking you over her and Renee is mad enough at the both of them that she might let it slip. Do you really want your daughter to be caught in the fallout?"

"Starr will be fine. And so will I, when my plan is carried out."

"Explain this plan to me."

"I can't. It's _my_ plan and _my_ revenge."

"Why revenge? It's such a waste of time. Just divorce Max and get on with your life."

"I can't! I'm not going to let him get away with cheating on me. I've gone through too much hell because of him and Skye. He made me look like a fool! Look at what that slut did to my hair!"

"Hair grows back, Blair. You think this revenge thing is going to make you feel better, but it won't."

"Dammit, I've had enough of you and Viki and Sam lecturing me. I'll just find the money elsewhere."

"Hey, I'm sorry. Keep me posted, okay?"

Todd slipped further behind the door as Ben left the room and made his way upstairs. He quickly abandoned his hiding place and entered the main room just as Blair was preparing to leave. She seemed startled to see him, even though she'd been with him just a few hours earlier, but not as wary as she had been the last couple of times.

"Todd." Blair's expression turned playful as she took note of his pale face and his fierce scowl. "Looks like someone's having a bad morning. Got a little hangover?"

He grunted as he turned and pulled the double doors shut, wincing as his swift movements caused his head to throb and his stomach to churn. He turned to face Blair again and noted that her teasing expression had _now_ turned wary. "What's going on with you and Max?"

Blair frowned and crossed her arms over her breasts. "What are you talking about?"

"I heard you and the asshole talking."

Her eyes widened in anger. "You mean you eavesdropped."

"Sue me. You know who I am." Todd pointed out as he stepped closer to her. "What the hell kind of home is my kid living in? Max is fucking around, he's not the real Buchanan bastard. You're scheming to get back at him. And Starr's going to get caught in the middle of all that shit."

"She won't." Blair asserted vehemently.

"You knew Max wasn't Asa's son when you married him, didn't you? You two are in on this together. Damn it, Blair, what is it with this obsession for money? Haven't you learned your lesson by now?"

Blair silently fumed and Todd knew his accusations were right. As they glared at each other, he also realized the mistake he'd just made. Their truce was barely a day old and already Todd had fucked it up by mentioning the past. Well, in all fairness, he'd only alluded to it. Still, it angered him that Blair was running the same old tired scheme in order to get her greedy little hands on someone else's money. He knew all too well that her deceptions usually blew up in her face in a very bad way. It'd been fine when she'd only had herself to consider, but now there was a good chance her machinations could harm Starr as well.

"If Max is not the real Buchanan heir, who is?" Todd asked and Blair responded by pressing her lips tightly together. So much for being honest with one another. He wasn't going to get that important bit of information out of her - not yet. "I don't want Starr in the middle of your bullshit, Blair. Divorce Max before things get out of hand."

"No. Not until I get what I need." Blair replied stubbornly.

"I'm not asking you, I'm telling you." Todd hissed.

"This is none of your business. Walk away."

"It is where Starr's concerned."

"Again…Starr will be okay. Neither Asa nor Max would do anything to hurt her, no matter how they feel about me." Blair assured him. "And I'm not leaving this marriage empty handed."

"Forget about the money, Blair." Todd implored, though he doubted she would listen. "It's not like you really need it. Hell, you've got a big, empty mansion to live in and Starr's trust fund will take care of her. And you've got royalty checks coming in from the Sun."

"Please! Kelly's totally screwed up the Sun. Revenue has fallen nearly thirty percent since she took over. I'm sinking my profits into B&B and I quit my job at the Banner. The only money I get is from Max, and he gets that from Asa."

Todd winced visibly this time, not from his hangover, but from mention of the Sun's sagging sales. He was going to ream Kelly Cramer Buchanan good when he got his hands on her. "Whatever happens to you affects Starr. There is no way I'd let you go without. Divorce Max. I'll take care of you for as long as you need me to."

"I don't _want_ to have to beg another man for money!"

"Okay, shit, I'll give you an allowance!"

"I am not a kid, Todd!" Blair yelled at the top of her lungs. "Forget it! You just don't understand!"

Todd blocked her path as she tried to leave. He should have saved himself the headache and foregone this fruitless argument with her. Blair was the most dogged female he had ever met and if she wanted revenge no one was going to deter her from it. There was no way around it. She loved money. Ate, slept, and breathed it. If she could have panties made out of it, she'd wear them proudly. Money was a part of Blair Cramer's DNA and he figured she would grow out of it eventually, but not anytime soon.

Besides, if Blair wanted to stick it to Max, what better way to do it than to crush his over-inflated male ego _and_ his wallet? He didn't like that she was working with Ben, but as long as Max was getting screwed, it didn't matter who was doing it. Todd would have one less person to seek revenge against and Starr would ultimately be free from Buchanan hell.

"I'm done talking." Blair tried to leave again and Todd grabbed her wrist to detain her.

"Alright. You want your revenge, you got it. But at least let me back you up. I can't have my kid getting hurt because Max has a wayward dick."

"Back me up how?"

"Your company is strapped for cash, right?"

Those brilliant green eyes began to glow and a small, devious smile curved her lips. Despite his pounding headache, Todd couldn't help but smile back. Oh how he loved that deliciously wicked look. And he loved being the one to give it to her. "Consider me a new investor for B&B."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

As soon as Blair stepped into the bedroom, the apprehension she'd felt all day increased twofold. The candles and soft music made her panic. Max was in an amorous mood tonight and Blair again began to feel ill at the thought of having sex with him. She hesitantly advanced into the room, but her husband was nowhere in sight. Then she spied the sliver of light coming from beneath the bathroom door and heard the muted, telltale sounds of Max performing his nightly ablutions.

Fervently praying that Wharton would finish the virus sooner than anticipated, Blair stripped out of her clothes and donned her robe. She longed for a hot bath, but she didn't dare go in the bathroom while Max was there, afraid he would attempt to do her on the bathroom floor. She felt as if she were suffocating, as if a huge hole was opening up and swallowing her whole. There was no way she was going to endure sex with Max tonight. She had to think of a plausible excuse to avoid him.

Several ideas formed and Blair congratulated herself on being able to give herself a brief reprieve from Max's affection. She hurried to her purse and dug out Todd's phone number, then grabbed up the phone and moved as far away from the bathroom door as possible. Her fingers trembled as she punched out the digits, fear that Max would appear any minute causing her heart to thud anxiously. There were several rings and then an electronic voice asked her to leave a message. Blair quickly whispered into the phone, informing Todd that she and Starr would meet him at Viki's cabin Saturday morning.

She was hanging up just as Max reentered the room. He gave her his best come-hither look and sauntered towards her. "Who were you calling?"

"Dorian." Blair replied smoothly, grateful for her ability to lie in a pinch. "I wanted to tell her that Starr and I might come for a visit, but she wasn't in."

"Took you long enough to get here." Max murmured as he looped an arm about her waist and pulled her to him. "I was getting lonely."

"Starr asked for two stories tonight." Blair's arms curled reluctantly around his neck as Max nibbled at her ear. He began inching her back towards the bed while undoing her robe and Blair inwardly screamed. She took a deep breath and placed restraining palms against his chest as she launched into the scenario she'd planned a few minutes ago. "Honey, wait."

Max raised his head in confusion. "What's the matter?"

Years of practice had honed her performance skills. Blair didn't miss a beat as her expression turned remorseful and her eyes misted with tears. "I'm sorry, Max. I…I'm not feeling well."

He gave her a suspicious look as his hold on her slackened. "Another headache?"

"No." Blair's expression expertly morphed into one of discomfiture. "It's…well, you know…female related."

"You mean you've got your period?"

Blair shook her head. "I'm experiencing a little pain - I don't think it's anything serious. It's just…uh…it's uncomfortable. I've already made a doctor's appointment for early next week."

When his eyes filled with concern and his arms came about her again, Blair knew he'd bought her act. "Why didn't you say something the other night?"

"Well." Blair tenderly cupped his cheek and gazed into his eyes adoringly. "I didn't want to deny you."

He gently kissed her cheek. "Your health is the most important thing to me."

"Then you won't be disappointed if we don't make love tonight?" Her lips did the trembling thing and her expression changed to one of worry this time. "I w-want our reconciliation to work. I couldn't stand it if you turned to Skye again because I couldn't…"

"Shh, don't even think that." Max hugged her to him. "I want us to work too. I'd never do anything to risk losing you again."

Tears cascaded beautifully down her cheeks as Blair smiled triumphantly against his shoulder. When he pulled back, her pitiful look was in place again. "You are the most wonderful man I've ever met. I love you so much, Max."

When he lowered his mouth to hers, Blair put her all into returning his kiss. She was careful not to pull away too fast, letting Max end the kiss instead. She gave him a radiant smile as her finger caressed his lower lip. "I'm going to take a bubble bath, okay?"

"I'll be waiting for you." Max kissed her hand and released her.

Blair gave him a last, loving look before escaping into the bathroom, closing the door and quickly covering her mouth with her hand. She stifled a series of giggles as she ran hot water into the sunken tub and sat on the edge with a satisfied grin. "Damn, I _am_ good."

* * *

Blair sat on the top step of the cabin's back porch and watched as Starr raced about, trying to catch fireflies in an old jar. Todd sat on the bottom step, sipping a beer and shouting encouragement. It was the first time Blair had really spent anytime with the both of them since they had arrived at the cabin early that morning.

Todd had been waiting for them and he and Starr had immediately picked up where they'd left off the last time they seen each other. Blair, in a foul mood, had gone straight to her room and collapsed on the bed. She'd slept four hours straight and when she'd finally gotten up, she'd been extremely irritable. Picking up on her mood, Todd had fed her lunch and then wisely steered clear of her.

Feigning illness to wrangle out of sex with Max hadn't afforded her the peace she'd been hoping for. He couldn't be intimate with her, so he'd decided to cuddle instead. Max had had no problem falling asleep, his body wrapped around hers like a pretzel. Blair had lain awake, waiting for an opportunity to move away from him. Each time she did and managed to fall asleep, Max would wake her up a short while later, his body once again plastered to hers. Then that morning, Blair had spent a half-hour arguing with him about her and Starr's impromptu trip before she was finally able to leave.

Her mood had vastly improved after another nap and dinner. Starr's suggestion to spend the rest of the evening outside had been a good one. The night was warm and clear, a gentle breeze blew about them intermittently, and watching Starr having fun always made Blair happy. She and Todd exchanged small talk now and then, but mostly they remained companionably silent.

"Look!" Starr skipped towards them, breathless and grinning. She held up the jar, her hand carefully covering the top, so both her parents could see. "I caught one! Isn't it pretty?"

"Yeah, he's a looker, Shorty." Todd enthused. They watched as Starr studied the firefly a bit longer and then set it free, waving bye-bye to her temporary pet as she chased after another. "Isn't she cute? You know, I used to catch fireflies when I was her age. I'd smother them and then dissect them with a butcher knife."

Blair laughed and playfully poked him in the back with her bare foot. Other people might have believed his gruesome childhood memory, but Blair knew Todd's twisted tales were ninety-nine percent exaggerated.

Well, maybe eighty-nine percent.

Fifty-nine.

"So where does Holden think you are?" Todd propped his elbows on the step behind him and tilted his head backward to look at her.

"Visiting Dorian."

"You think Shorty'll let it slip that she's seen me?"

Blair shook her head as she watched Starr leap at an elusive firefly. "She thinks we're playing 'I've got a secret'. She gets a new doll if she wins."

Todd nodded as he resumed watching Starr. A few minutes later, he sat up and turned towards Blair again. "So tell me about this Skye."

Frowning, Blair plunked down the glass of soda she'd been drinking. "We were doing fine until you went there."

"Sorry." Todd held up his hands defensively. "It just pisses me off that Holden was cheating on you. Like I said, whatever happens to you affects Starr."

"I would think you'd be happy to know Max cheated on me. You can gloat and say 'I told you so.'"

"I'm not." Todd replied sincerely. "I hate Max Holden, but I thought that at least my kid was in living in a stable environment. Weird, but stable."

Blair sighed tiredly. She did _not_ want to discuss her doomed marriage with Todd of all people. "Can we drop this? It's not my favorite subject."

"I can't." Todd clenched his fists. "Max is screwing with my daughter's life. I can't believe you married him, Blair. He's such a fucking jerk."

"You were a jerk when I was married to you."

"Hey, I never cheated on you." Todd defended himself and then cursed with exasperation. "Dammit, we're doing it again. Bringing up the past."

"It's hard not to after doing so for so long." Blair rubbed her eyes wearily. If only she'd known then what she knew now. If she could redo the past, she'd go back to that day Todd had left for Ireland and go with him. Then she could have prevented him from getting mixed up with Patrick Thornhart and they could have lived happily ever after.

Blair laughed to herself. What a stupid dream.

"What's funny?" Todd raised an eyebrow.

"Us." Blair looked down at him as she grew serious. She was sure about carrying out her plan for revenge, but she wasn't so sure it wouldn't backfire. There was no one she could count on to help her if she were to fail but Todd. And he would help her, because she was Starr's mother. Maybe he'd help her for more reason than just that. "I need you to watch my back, Todd."

He looked surprised at that statement. "Me? Why?"

"Because I'm not sure what's going to happen and I need someone in my corner."

"Maybe you should pick someone you trust."

"I trust you. Sometimes. I have to. We have a common interest, remember." Blair inclined her head towards Starr. "What do say? You watch my back, I'll watch yours?"

Todd shrugged nonchalantly as he turned to watch Starr again. "I've been trying to get you to do that from the beginning. I just wish I could help you stick it to Holden."

"Oh no. You're in enough trouble as it is. You let Sam keep you out of prison and leave Max to me."

"If anyone can fuck a man a hundred different ways, it's you, Blair." Todd smirked at the double meaning of his words and ducked as she took a swipe at him. He stood up and let out a loud yawn, stretching his arms above his head as he surveyed the night sky. "Getting kind of late, isn't it?"

Blair peered at her watch. "It's only a half past nine."

"Shorty's losing steam."

Starr had plunked herself down on the ground and was tossing chunks of grass into the air, her firefly hunt abandoned.

"Well, it is way past her bedtime." Blair stood and brushed off the seat of her jeans. A little niggling suspicion that Todd was trying to get rid of them entered her mind, but Blair pushed it away. "How about a game of poker after I get her get her down?"

"Actually, I think I'll turn in early too. I haven't been getting much sleep lately."

"Worried about your legal problems?"

"No. Just restless. I got a lot of stuff to take care of and I'm anxious to get to it."

"What kind of stuff?" Blair asked warily. She didn't like the gleam in his eye nor the menacing tone of his voice.

"Just stuff." Todd gave her an ambiguous smile before stepping off the porch and walking towards Starr.

Blair looked after him, her niggling suspicion now fully blown. 'Just stuff', coming from Todd Manning, sounded quite ominous to her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

The abandoned docks were dark and quiet at a little after two in the morning. The sky was pitch black except for an eerie, full moon. The only sounds that could be heard were the gentle lapping of water and the distant clang of a buoy.

Max Holden paced impatiently, glancing at his watch every few seconds and swearing under his breath. His boots made a hollow thudding sound as he moved across the old wood dock. He came to a halt near the edge and shoved his hands into his trouser pockets as he stared out into nothingness.

His attention captured by the night view or his own thoughts, Max didn't see the black clad figure stealthily moving towards him. The stranger's tread was careful and quiet. As he drew nearer to his prey, arms rose and a cloth sack was thrust swiftly over Max's head.

Taken by surprise, Max let out a muffled cry and twisted his body towards his attacker. He swung with his right hand, but the attacker avoided it by rearing back his head as he cinched the drawstring cord at Max's throat and then landed a hard punch to his midsection.

Max let out a pained "oof" as he doubled over and his attacker took the opportunity to swiftly lift his knee to connect with Max's chin, his head snapping upwards with the contact. The attacker clasped his gloved fists and came down hard on Max's back, sending him sprawling to the ground.

A handful of Max's jacket collar was grabbed and he was roughly hauled to his feet, only to be sent reeling a second later with a well-aimed blow to his jaw. As he staggered towards a railing, Max vainly clutched at the sack to pull it off his head, but his attacker was faster. Max's hands were knocked away and he was shoved hard into a nearby wall. He let out a yelp as his shoulder slammed into the hard wood. He pressed his back against the wall to steady himself and swung wildly with both fists, panting and shouting, but he hit only air. The attacker grabbed Max's head, using it to force his body downward. A knee thrust upward and jabbed him in the ribs and was quickly followed by an uppercut to his jaw. Max teetered backward as the assailant's foot swooped out and his feet went flying from under him as he crashed back to the ground.

Max rained curses on the predator as he lay curled up on the ground, trembling and waiting for the coup de grace, but none came. He reached up and hurriedly ripped the sack from his head, coughing roughly as blood and saliva flowed from his mouth. He struggled to his feet and peered into the darkness, but he couldn't see anyone. His attacker had vanished as quickly as he had come.

Gasping loudly and coughing intermittently, Max clutched his sore ribs and hobbled towards the stairs. With one last look around, he stumbled up each step, swearing and groaning as he made his escape.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"Read em and weep, Blair." With bold machismo, Todd spread his cards across the polished wood surface of the cabin floor. "Full house, babe."

"Not so fast, sweetie." Blair gave him a triumphant, feline grin and smacked down five clubs. "Straight flush."

"Fuck _me_." Todd muttered as he glared at her. "You gotta be cheating."

"Why?" Blair leaned forward, unwittingly giving him a nice view of cleavage, and scraped the wagered pretzels toward her rapidly growing pile. "Because I've beaten you three times? If you weren't so drunk, maybe you could win a hand."

Todd stared at her pointedly as he finished off his beer and popped open another one. He scooped up the cards and began to meticulously shuffle them again.

If he hadn't begged Blair for more time with Starr this afternoon, they would have all been back in Llanview by now. Todd had slept half the day away and had finally woke up with a sunny disposition and a swollen hand. He'd mumbled something about falling out of bed and had changed the subject by suggesting a barbecue. They'd gone swimming in the lake and had chased Starr around the cabin all day. Blair had been having so much fun, she'd totally forgotten about her problems with Max. When she'd finally phoned the mansion to check in, no one had answered.

After tucking Starr in for the night, they'd spent the last hour sitting on the floor playing poker, drinking and trading outrageous stories of Blair's early days in Florida and Todd's rebellious stunts in prep school.

"I'm tired of playing for pretzels." Todd told her as he expertly fanned the cards from one hand to the other and then stacked them together again. "Let's make it more interesting."

Blair frowned. "I don't have a lot of cash on me."

"Cash is so passé." His eyebrow arched playfully and a lewd smirk curved his lips. "S _trip_ poker is loads more fun."

Blair laughed dismissively, even though intriguing memories danced in her head. They'd played strip poker often when they were first married. Todd would always cheat and Blair would always let him. She'd loved shedding her clothes for him and seeing the feral look in his eyes when she did. "You're crazy. Been sniffing Tea's shoes, I see."

Todd shrugged. "Okay, let's play for your percentage of the Sun."

"Been sniffing her armpits too."

"Fuck _you_. And cut the cards." Todd growled.

Snickering, Blair obeyed and then leaned back against the leather sofa with a yawn. She stretched her arms above her head and arched her back, making her cotton shirt pull tightly across her bountiful breasts. She lowered an arm to reach for her beer and then caught Todd eyeing her with that feral look she'd remembered. "What are you gawking at? Deal the cards."

Without taking his eyes off her, Todd did as he was told. His expression morphed into one of cool calculation and Blair started to feel strangely uncomfortable.

Todd finished dealing and sat back to examine his hand. "I don't remember your boobs being that huge."

Blair choked and sputtered on her beer. She shot him a disbelieving look as one of her cards slipped unnoticed from her hand. "What do my boobs have to do with poker?"

"You ever reminisce about our sex life?"

Blinking rapidly, Blair lowered her cards to her lap. "What other game are you playing, Todd? Why the sudden interest in our _past_ sex life?"

Todd set aside his cards as well, his face scrunching up as he glanced at the ceiling. "When was the last time we had sex, Blair?"

"What does it matter?" Blair retorted incredulously, her face hot and her head suddenly dizzy. It was the beer. Had to be. She'd had what, four? No way was she experiencing this tingling feeling because Todd was talking about sex.

"The morning after our second wedding, right?" Todd looked to her for confirmation.

"You know it was!" Blair snapped, teeth clenched, nerves raw. She clumsily picked up her cards and took a deep breath to calm herself. The prospect of sex didn't excite her, she told herself. It made her sick, sick, sick! "You gonna play this hand or not?"

Todd ignored her. "We use to have some pretty incredible sex, didn't we, Blair?"

Blair scooted his discarded cards towards him with her toe. "You're drunk, Todd."

"But I know what I'm talking about. Remember that time in the stables?"

She feigned interest in her cards, but the suits and numbers were a blur. Her breathing was shallow and her heart was pounding in her ears.

"What about the Fourth of July? Thatwas _amazing_."

"Play your fucking hand, Todd!"

"And those strip poker games…" Todd rolled his eyes heavenward. "Oh man!"

Blair squirmed and continued to ignore him, her eyes riveted stubbornly on her cards. Was he trying to seduce her or what?

Or what, she decided. The only reason he was saying those things was because he was smashed out of his mind and on the rebound. And even if he were trying to seduce her, there was no way she was going to debase herself by engaging in rebound sex with her snake of an ex-husband.

"Hey, I'm talking to you."

A hand slipped around Blair's bare ankle and Todd gently tugged her towards him. Startled, her head jerked upward and she dropped her cards, her palms flattening against the floor to steady herself. She glared at Todd in fury as he grinned innocently back at her. "What in the hell is wrong with you?"

"Come on, Blair." He teased, his fingers inching up her leg. "Don't you wanna see if we're still as good as we used to be?"

"I'm married, Todd!" Blair was righteously indignant, even though his touch was sending delicious shivers up her thigh.

"Your marriage is as good as over."

"When _I_ say it is!"

"Can't you say it is tonight?"

Blair jerked her leg away and sat up, jabbing a reprimanding finger at him. "You're still an asshole! I can't believe you would…what are you doing?"

Todd had hooked his fingers around the bottom of her shirt and was trying to pull her towards him again. His knuckles grazed the soft skin of her belly and her muscles tightened with excitement.

If she hadn't hesitated, she may have been able to stand up and storm to her room in a huff like she really, really wanted to. But Blair made the mistake of looking into his hypnotic eyes, glancing at his full mouth, gazing at his wicked scar. Most women were intimidated by that scar, but she'd always found it sexy as hell. She wanted to run her tongue over the length of it right now.

"No, no, no!" She chided herself out loud.

"No, no, what?" Todd asked in confusion.

A slew of gutter expletives spewed forth from her mouth and Todd gaped at her with concern. Conceited, arrogant bastard. Why'd he have to be so fucking irresistible? Wild and rough and sinister. Mean and cocky and devious. Who needed a knight in shining armor when you could have someone so ferocious and uninhibited?

It's the beer, she told herself as she swayed toward him. And the unhappiness, she amended as her lips somehow attached themselves to his. Before she could think of another excuse for her actions, they were rolling on the floor, mouths fused together, hands groping. Blair yelped when her head smacked against the side of the sofa. Todd grunted when her elbow inadvertently connected with his chin. Pretzels and cards were crushed and scattered. Buttons were popped and clothes went flying.

 _This is so wrong,_ Blair thought as she rolled over on top of him. _But I'll worry about it in the morning._

* * *

Todd glanced down at Blair, the expression on her flushed face languid and content. Laughing to himself, he surmised that she couldn't be nearly as blissful as he was. He'd just ridded himself of years of pent-up sexual energy and he felt rejuvenated and ready to kick ass. He wondered if her ears were ringing, because his certainly were.

A split second later, though, Blair's content expression transformed to one of shock. Todd wasn't sure why her demeanor suddenly changed, but it did nothing to dampen his spirits.

"That's a first." He commented dryly as he folded his arms behind his head and leaned back against the sofa. "I've never rendered you speechless before."

Blair wasn't as relaxed. She sat bolt upright and turned to glare at Todd, the look of shock changing to one of horror. She pointed an accusing finger at him and reiterated loudly. "No, no, no!"

"No _what_? And keep it down. You wanna wake the kid?"

"Damn you, Todd Manning!" Blair shot to her feet and began shifting through their hastily discarded clothing. "You are _not_ going to do this to me again!"

"Do what?" Todd reached up and peeled the ace of spades off her ass. He was confused by her attitude for a moment before realization dawned. "Oh, I get it. You're feeling guilty because of Max. Hey, he screwed around on you. Now you're even. And I have to tell you, I'm real happy you chose to exact your revenge with me."

"This is not funny!" Blair hissed as she jerked on her tangled bra. "I don't give a damn about Max! You're trying to suck me back into your fucked up world! Well it's _not_ happening!"

"It already has." Todd picked up the tiny panties she'd been wearing and grinned salaciously. "What are you bitching about anyway? You got off."

Blair's mouth fell open in outraged disgust. "How can you be so callous about this? I'm not some cheap slut you picked up on a corner in East Llanview! I'm the mother of your child, you prick!"

"Hey…I…you know…for you." Todd shrugged as he spread the thin scrap of silk across his chest like a badge of honor and watched her trying to untangle the bra. He felt like an immense weight had been lifted from him and he wasn't about to let Blair's sudden remorse spoil his good mood. "You're special, Blair. If I was going to have incredible, meaningless sex, I'm glad it was with you."

Blair's eyes glowed angrily as she snatched her panties off his chest and clumsily stuck her foot through one hole. Todd's sated body shook with silent laughter as he took in the hilariously sexy sight of her. Her nude form wiggled wildly with her efforts to untwist her bra and her panties were pooled about her ankle.

"Need some help?" He offered sincerely.

"Go to hell!" She seethed as she finally untwisted the bra and slipped the straps over her arms. "God, how could I have done something so reckless? We didn't even use protection!"

Todd blanched at that. "Shit, we didn't, did we? Can't take any chances with Max sticking his dick in everything that moves. We'll be more careful next time."

"There isn't going to be a next time!" Blair howled as she shimmied into her panties.

"You mean you're going to give up all that fantastic sex we just had?"

Blair gathered the rest of her clothes to her chest and glared at him. She looked a sight with her short hair mussed and sticking out in wayward tufts, her chest heaving with uncontrollable anger, and her eyes blazing with latent passion and palpable fury.

He was ready to do her again.

And she noticed, her eyes widening as they shifted to Todd's lap and then to his face again. "You go find someone else to have incredible, meaningless sex with." Blair snarled at him. "That's the last time you're having any with me."

Todd tilted his head as he watched her stomp towards her room, her bottom bouncing enticingly with each step. Then he realized that she'd left him in an uncomfortable condition and he swore as he picked up a pretzel and shoved it into his mouth.

"Ex-wives. Can't live with em. Can't kill em."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

As Blair drove through the upper middle class neighborhood on her way back to the Buchanan mansion, she admired the beautiful houses with their perfect lawns and wished for a home of her own. Someplace where she and Starr could find peace and finally be happy. A house with a deed that had _her_ name on it. No one could dictate to her, no one could kick her out, and best of all, she and Starr would be blessedly and blissfully alone.

"Maybe it could happen." Blair murmured.

"What could happen, Mommy?" Starr asked from the passenger seat.

"Nothing, sweetie." Blair glanced at her daughter with a soft smile. "So did you have fun at the cabin?"

"Uh huh. I wish Daddy could be with us all the time."

Blair cringed at the mention of Todd. Just when she'd effectively ridded her conscience of him, Starr's wistful statement brought back unwanted flashbacks of scintillating sex on the messy cabin floor. Not that she had totally forgotten him anyway. The arrogant prick had made sure to leave a lasting impression before they'd left this morning, and done it quite gleefully too.

While Blair had prepared a quick breakfast, Todd had mercilessly teased her about their night together by whispering naughty reminders in her ear. He'd known just what he was doing when he'd pinched her bottom on the sly, right in front of a clueless Starr. And then while Blair had glared angrily at him, fuming and red in the face because she couldn't retaliate, Todd had caressed the area he'd pinched a few seconds later, a lecherous smile on his face. His mood had been so buoyant, and buoyant was very unusual for Todd. If she hadn't known better, she would have sworn he hadn't had sex in months.

Damn Todd Manning! Though she would never let him know, Blair grudgingly admitted to herself that the sex had been deliciously intense. Wild and roughly passionate laced with underlying caring and tenderness. Just the way she liked it. And if she hadn't been so angry that she'd allowed herself to lapse with him, Blair would have had him once more.

But no, she had promised herself she wasn't going down that road again and she wouldn't. Her goal was to rid herself of all things male and concentrate on making herself and Starr happy. Neither Todd nor Max figured into her long-range plans and she liked it that way.

Blair parked her car in the front drive, gathered their overnight bags, and quickly ushered Starr into the mansion. Max would no doubt be livid that she had failed to call him the last two days and she steeled herself for a huge fight. As soon as they stepped into the foyer, however, it was Nigel, not Max, who greeted them.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Buchanan, Miss Starr." Nigel sniffed cordially. "I trust you had a pleasant excursion?"

"What's a scursion?" Starr wondered aloud.

"A trip or a vacation." Nigel answered, a knowing look in his eyes as he sized up Blair. "I'm afraid there's been a bit of trouble while you were away."

"What kind of trouble?" Blair asked, her heart beating with apprehension. Were Asa and Max onto her?

Nigel looked pointedly at Starr and Blair took the hint. "Sweetie, why don't you take your bag upstairs? I'll be up in a minute."

Starr didn't notice the serious look the two adults exchanged. She grabbed the handle of her small bag, clutching Freddie the Frog to her chest, and trooped upstairs.

When the little girl was finally out of earshot, Nigel continued. "Young Mr. Buchanan was the victim of a rather vicious attack."

Blair's eyes widened and her heart lurched with panic. She may hate him, but she couldn't completely turn off the lingering feelings of concern she harbored for Max. "Oh my God, is he alright? What happened? Where is he?"

"He's fine, save for a few battered body parts. He was only in the hospital for a short time and now he is abed in your room."

Blair rushed upstairs, a jumble of questions swirling in her head. Where had Max been when he'd been attacked? When had it happened? Guilt overwhelmed her as she mentally replayed last night's events. If Max had been attacked while she'd been making love with Todd, she didn't think she would be able to face her husband again.

But when she burst into their bedroom, all the guilt and concern drained from her. Max was lounging in bed and Skye was perched next to him, holding his hand and cooing comforting words. Blair didn't see the bruises or the bandages swathing his ribcage. She didn't see Asa or Renee standing on the other side of the bed, eyeing her with suspicion and censure. All Blair could see was the same haunting visions she'd been seeing ever since she'd found out about her husband's affair - Max and Skye together.

Blair advanced towards the bed, her steps slow, her fists clenched, her eyes shooting laser daggers at Skye. "What in the hell are you doing here?"

"Least she was here." Asa snorted accusingly. "Where the hell have _you_ been?"

She was caught off guard by the question, but Blair made sure her guilt did not reflect in her expression. "I was visiting Dorian."

"We tried to call Dorian." Renee stepped forward. "But we couldn't reach anyone."

"We were out a lot." Blair lied smoothly, making a mental note to call Dorian for an alibi as soon as she was alone.

"We left messages."

Blair frowned as she glanced at Max, but a vision of Todd's smirking, sex-satiated face superimposed itself over that of her husband's. She blinked away the image and focused on Max again. "I never got them. Maybe there's something wrong with her answering machine."

"That's a lame excuse if ever I heard one." Skye drawled, her cat-like eyes gleaming with bitchy satisfaction.

Blair stepped forward and angrily grabbed a handful of Skye's blouse. The redhead squeaked indignantly as she was hauled off the bed and pushed to the side. Sitting down next to her husband, Blair took inventory of Max's swollen features; a black eye, a swollen nose, a bruised jaw, a split lip. He looked a wreck. She took his unresponsive hand in hers and carefully cupped his jaw. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here, honey. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

Skye and Asa snorted simultaneously.

Blair ignored them as she waited for a response from Max. He was eyeing her with suspicion as well, his expression angry. "Where were you really?"

"I told you, I was with Dorian. Her boyfriend was away on business and she kept me and Starr out a lot, you know, shopping, dining, seeing the sites." Blair lied smoothly, then shifted subjects. "Who did this to you? What happened?"

Max pulled Blair's hand from his face. "I went to the docks Saturday night because I got a message from Ben Davidson. I thought he wanted to meet to discuss B&B business or something." He gave her a weird look and Blair deduced that the 'or something' had to do with Max's deception of Asa. "I get there and I'm waiting and out of no where, someone throws this bag over my head and starts knocking me around."

"Oh, Max." Blair cringed, shaken by the thought that he could have been murdered while she'd been off gallivanting with Todd. "Did you see him?

"No." Max carefully fingered his jaw. "He took off before I could get the damn bag off my head."

"He didn't have to see him." Asa declared. "It was that damn Ben Davidson who did it."

"Ben would never do such a thing." Renee countered. "He told the police that he never sent a message to Max. And besides, Vicki said he was with her all night."

"I agree." Blair frowned, her mind working frantically. "Ben's not the type to do something so underhanded."

"They're both lying! It was him!" Asa pounded a fist into his palm. "Those damn Rappaports have gone too far! This is war! There are too many of that vermin family scurrying around here and if I'll get rid of all of them if it's the last thing I do!"

"You'll do no such thing!" Renee scolded. "Haven't you done enough to that family?"

"Woman, you need to be worrying about your own!" Asa chastised as he turned to leave the room.

"Where are you going?"

"To get my double barrel!"

Renee threw up her hands in exasperation and hurried after her ornery husband.

"I hate to leave you like this, Max." Skye inched closer again, giving Blair a scathing look. "Weak and alone with Blair."

Blair was too worried about her alibi for this weekend to be concerned with Skye.

"I'll be fine." Max gave Skye a grateful smile and Blair didn't miss the softening of his features as he gazed at her rival. "Thank you for being there for me."

Rage boiled to overflowing within Blair as Skye gave her a smug smile and then flounced out of the room. Husband and wife stared silently at each other for a long moment before Blair finally spoke. "Was that little comment meant for me?"

Max shrugged. "Take it however you want to. The fact remains that my wife wasn't here for me when I needed her."

"How was I supposed to know you were going to get mugged?"

Max's eyes were a bit more heavy-lidded than before. He stifled a yawn and winced as he scooted further down in the bed. "It doesn't matter."

Blair bit her lip hard, wanting desperately to pop Max in his other eye. Instead, she leaned forward and dutifully fluffed the pillow beneath his head. After all that bullshit about loving her and wanting to start over, he was still allowing Skye to interfere with their marriage. Witnessing Max's continuing weakness for Skye was the best thing that could have happened to Blair, however. She now knew exactly how to proceed with her plan.

"Can I get you anything, honey?" Blair asked as an afterthought, her voice saccharin sweet.

"No. Painkillers kicking in." Max mumbled as he closed his eyes.

Blair gently kissed his temple and then rose from the bed, morbidly grateful that at least his bruised ribs would keep him sexually inactive for a day or so. She tipped slowly from the room and went in search of a secluded place to talk, praying fervently that Kyle Wharton would have good news for her.


End file.
